Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Cut, Cap and Balance Act, which is nothing more than a politically motivated distraction from the ongoing budget negotiations necessary to avoid a catastrophic default on our Nation's financial obligations. What we need at this challenging time is shared sacrifice. The Democrats have called for significant cuts, closing tax loopholes, and requiring people in the highest income brackets to pay their fair share while Republicans continue to push an unrealistic plan that relies exclusively on draconian cuts--on the backs of our seniors, on the backs of working families. One thing is clear: if we don't reach common ground now, America will default on its debt, and that cannot happen. The most dangerous provision of this bill is the Republican version of the so-called ``balanced budget amendment.'' While a balanced budget amendment done the right way is worthy of consideration, it must, at a minimum, be crafted responsibly and provide flexibility in times of war, recession, or national emergency. This bill does not do that. We all agree that the budget should be balanced; it needs to be. And Congress already has the necessary legislative tools to change its fiscal policies, as we witnessed during the era of surpluses under the Clinton administration.…”